Theresa (&Quot;Terry&Quot;)2019年1月

I stayed in Mary’s place for over two weeks, just soaking up the people and activities of the area. Mary went out of her way to help me be comfortable and get to know the area. She and her son Paul drove me around and I met the priest of their church, plus a man who told me about a ceremony women would be doing at a nearby Hindu temple on the next full moon, which I felt honored to attend. This is the kind of location where you should stay more than a couple days, get to know the people, take walks and yell good morning at everyone, ride a bicycle around the back roads and get lost and end up in someone’s yard and they’ll all come out of their houses and try to talk with you. Friendly people abound—many seem shy at first, but they are all so genuine. Mary let me use an old bicycle, and I was out on it everyday because the traffic is light enough that I did not fear getting mowed down by a bus or big truck. They are there, but not like in a city.. Mary arranged an appointment with a palm reader who was fascinating, and I even took several Carnatic singing lessons from a beautiful young vocalist. But the very best was the family next door—Biji and Benny and their four beautiful children. Biji is an excellent chef, and if you ask, she might let you help her cook with her. The family invited me to participate in Christmas Eve activities of caroling and church-going, and eating with 40 other people. They were kind and generous and eager to see that the foreigner enjoyed her time there. I’m going back, at least that’s the plan, because it’s so easy to get attached to a place like this. Travelers may be interested to know that Mary, at least during my time there, works in Ernakulam but greets her guests when she can and assists them. She phoned me several times to make sure I was doing alright. The location is not noise-free—a main road is nearby and you can hear buses and trucks driving by during the day. But it is relatively quiet. WiFi was unpredictable during my visit, and seemed to be down more than it was up, but you’d probably rather be looking at birds over in the rice paddy. This was definitely more of an authentic Indian experience than I’ve had in many other places where I stayed for a couple nights and left.

Divya2018年1月

Lovely Stay, Relaxed Ambiance We loved every day, If you want a quite and calm place this is the one you should definitely go for, Extreme Warm welcoming neighborhood. We wanted Bonfire on 31st Night and even got it arranged. They serve delicious breakfast on request if u like to have authentic Kerala food. Aunty has helped us navigate to the famous locations nearby. We loved the stay everything was like home.

Ryan2017年8月

This is my second time in Mary's property and it was a more refreshing experience as I was staying during the peak of Kerala monsoon season. The home was maintained in good condition and I spent most of my time in my sit-out overlooking the lush green gardens. I enjoyed my morning walks around the village. I felt so refreshed and energized after it. I request for home made food and ate too my heart's and tummy's content. Looking forward to be back here again!

Ann2017年6月

Mary's ancestral home 'Thankam's Villa' is one of those hidden treasures of Airbnb. Unlike most of my Airbnb accommodations, I felt like I was coming back home to 'Thankam's villa'. Mary and her husband Prins were truly welcoming from the start and ensured that my family was very comfortable. We were offered complimentary refreshments when we stepped into Thankam's on a hot summers day and the different varieties of Keralan food just kept coming from then on. The lush property is an ideal retreat from a busy city life. We were right in time for the mango and jackfruit season and enjoyed eating fruits straight from the source. We ate our breakfasts in a cute mushroom tent while reading books from the home's library. I loved reading Mary's father's autobiography - a well-written note of the family's life in early independent India. The bedroom is very well equipped and curated with Keralan curios. The outdoor dining space has a thatched roof and bamboo walls, which gave an interesting tribal feel. Thankam's is ideally located right at the center of two breathtaking spots. Roughly 12 miles west of the property is the ancient important Kodungallur port town, which was the entry point of 3 major religions of India- Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Religious places situated here are over 1000 years old. This is one of those precious towns that is rarely frequented by travelers. The pristine beaches of this small port town are unlike many crowded beaches of India. 20 miles east of the property we saw one of the most beautiful waterfalls - Athirappily-Vazhachal. Located at the edge of the Western Ghats, the waterfalls is surrounded by thick dense forest home to rare flora and fauna. After our expeditions during the day, it was great to come back to a place like home and relax. This is a perfect home to stay while exploring the offbeat and inspiring parts of Kerala!